New Delhi: Press Council chairman Justice Markandey Katju has hit out at the Union Home Ministry over detention of Kashmiri journalist Iftikhar Gilani. In a hard-hitting letter to Union Home Secretary RK Singh, Katju condemned Iftikhar’s detention and said that policemen who were involved in the “illegal act” should be suspended and prosecuted.
Iftikhar, son-in-law of Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and his family were on Saturday detained by Delhi Police a few hours after Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was hanged in Tihar Jail. They were, however, released later.
The Editors Guild of India also condemned his detention saying the Delhi Police owned him an apology. “The police gave no reason for their unwarranted action. It is a matter of relief that he was released after protests by various journalist bodies and individual journalists, and the resultant intervention by the ministry of home affairs,” the Guild said in a statement on Sunday.
DELHI UNION OF JOURNALISTS
Flat No.29, New Central market, Connaught Circus, New Delhi-110001.
Phone: 23413459, email: [email protected]
February 10, 2013
Press Release
The Delhi Union of Journalists condemns the unwarranted and blatantly illegal action of the Delhi Police in detaining renowned journalist and well known writer, Iftikhar Gilani and the harassment to his family on February 9, 2013.
We take stern note of the fact that this is not the first time that Gilani has been subjected to this sort of agony and trauma.
On receiving information of Gilani’s illegal detention, the DUJ General Secretary, S K Pande tried to get in touch with the Delhi Police Commissioner and other concerned authorities, in vain. The Commissioner’s office informed that the Commissioner was unavailable, while other officers played hide and seek.
The Delhi Union of Journalists will be organizing a protest meeting in consultation with other journalists and press bodies in Delhi.
In the meanwhile, the DUJ calls for immediate action against the police officials responsible for this manifestly illegal act of detaining Gilani.
(S K Pande)
General Secretary
Related articles
- Letter to Home Secretary regarding detention of Iftikhar Gilani (justicekatju.blogspot.com)
- Afzal’s kin demand his belongings, govt yet to take decision – Hindustan Times (hindustantimes.com)
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